Gyspy Girl
by hollynn28
Summary: Bella was raised as a gypsy. One summer while out without her mom Bella meets a straight laced Edward. Edward has started to question his life and Bella gives him something to think about. As Bella gets to know Edwards she finds out more about her. AH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I own nothing of Twilight. I just allow them to talk to me and give me new scenarios.**

**I would love a Beta to this story if anyone is interested.**

The sun had finally set and the lights had come up. The smell in the air was that of sweet and fat, food that by smell alone could bring back memories of good times. The laughter and the smiles on all the people that surround me let me know that tonight would be just like any other night. We broke camp tonight. The carnival would shut down at midnight and then we would break down. If luck was on our side we would be packed up by 2 am. Being our last night in town I could be more adventurous and take a bit more risk.

I was dressed in my usual attire, enough to get noticed but not so much as to stand out. The night was warm being that we were in Arizona and it was early summer. I had on my daisy duke shorts and a button down plaid shirt I had acquired over the years, simply tied up at the waist. Under my plaid shirt I had a white wife beater. My feet had simple sandals. On my toes were rings that held simple meanings to me. Renee, my mom, had given me an opal ring just before we headed out for this summer's circuit and my best friend Jasper had given me a birthstone as a reminder of all the fun we would have this summer that would end back home in Georgia on my birthday.

This was the first year that Renee was not traveling with us. She had decided that it was time that she moved into the other side of our life. I think it helped that she had met a guy finally. She wanted to stay at home with Phil. He did more of the traveling construction work than the carnival. Up until this year mom always ran the palm reading and psychic tent. She passed it down to me and while it was fun for the first bit I was tired of sitting in the tent all day listening to spoiled rich brats whine about how they just had to know when there boyfriend would love them, have sex with them, or leave them. It was always fun to pull it over on them. They thought they were so smart but you could get so much out of someone simply by paying attention to what they did. While Renee would stay in the tent till the carnival closed down I decided that I would close once the light came on and then I could wander a bit and do my original job of helping make wallets a little bit lighter. It always amazed me how irresponsible people were in such crowds.

I wandered around the carnival looking for a few prospective clients and had a few in mind, mostly younger teenagers that would usually carry way more cash than they needed and wouldn't have bills that needed to be paid. I very rarely took from adults. They usually paid better attention to what was going on around them and I always worried that I would put them in a hardship that would affect their child. Teenagers were just stupid. Always brought a lot of cash and they loved to show it off. I figured I had a few more hours before I had to hit and before they were ready. Plus I didn't want to hit too early or I risk them not spending enough at the carnival. I really just wanted to make sure to finish off the wallet. Get the money they would walk out the door with rather than spend. Being that I had time I decided to head over to see how Jaspers booth was going.

Jasper was a rotator. He would work many different booths. Sometimes it was a carnival game and sometimes it was one of the rides. Jasper was perfect at the booths, there was something about him that he knew just what to say to get the men to throw down their money and the girls to challenge the guys. I had known Jasper as long as I can remember. Renee and his dad grew up together in the same clan. Jasper's dad followed the traditional route and bought Jaspers mom when she was 12 at revelry. Revelry is a large party for all of us to get together and the girls to be presented as potential wives. Jasper's dad was in love at first site, so he made an offer to her parents and they were wed 2 years later. Jasper was born a year after that. They still live in at home in Georgia. His dad is a manager of one of the construction companies. Jasper hasn't yet found his wife. He tells me he is waiting for me but I couldn't imagine Jasper as more than the best friend and brother that he is.

I know at one point he presented an offer to my mom but she isn't the traditional type. Renee believes in love. The whole heart fluttering toes curling love. She swears that she experienced it once in her life and that she has it now with Phil, so she refuses to sell me at revelry. She asked if I wanted to marry Jasper but it really did feel wrong. I am just glad that he wasn't hurt by it and that we could still be friends. I have a feeling that this summer Jasper is hoping that we can become more since neither of us will have parents around. I found Jasper as he was running the basketball throw. It was fun to stand and watch all that was happening. He had some rich jock in a letterman's jacket lined up. The guy could only puff his chest out so much further. I wonder which line he used to get this one. It was then that I noticed the blond bimbo on his arm. She had visited me earlier in the tent and wanted to know if some school hottie would give her the time of day. By the looks of it I was right. They had hooked up. In reality, I had simply given her the confidence to approach him. Once he had thrown his fifth ball and still hadn't made it in. I had to laugh and Jasper must have heard because I saw his head lift and look in my direction. The smile on his face was for me. I never saw him give it to another. As soon as his customers left I skipped over and sat on the half wall that kept customer from getting to close and realizing the trick behind the booth.

"Jazzy man, how goes it tonight? You ready to blow this popsicle stand tonight?"

Jasper leaned over and kissed my head. I loved how he made me feel. I just wish it was more. The way Renee explains love I just know there has to be more.

"Sure peachy, after we break down tonight I found some locos that invited us to a party. Might be just what we need before we head out of town."

"Really, you picking up girls again? Haven't you learned from before?" Jasper had picked up a loco two years ago for a one night and she stalked him across the country all summer.

"Yes, but this time I told them my girlfriend was coming with me. So hopefully a one night will be just that. No self respecting girl wants a cheating scum, right?"

"So is that the story for tonight. You play the doting boyfriend till I get pissed and then you go bang some chick and leave me to clean out the passed out locos." This was our after carnival game. It really amazed me how many young people would invite complete strangers to drink and do drugs with them and then they would get smashed and not care what happened to them or their belongings. It was like people had no sense of self preservation.

"That is fine but I am sticking to alcohol tonight. Leafing it last time left me with too much of a head ache." I leaned into him to let him know I didn't care what he did.

"Fine by me peachy, I won't do anything to harsh tonight. We have a long drive afterwards and I don't expect you to do all of it this time." Jasper and I were sharing a trailer on this trip. Usually in the past Jasper would travel with the guys Felix and Demetry, but Renee would not let me go without her unless Jasper agreed to chaperone. Not that any of the other guys in the group would let something happen to me. We had grown up together.

"Well, I have some jobs to do. We close down in 30 minutes and I would hate for them to go home with change. Meet you hear after I tear down the tent and get it settled in the trailer."

"You got it girl. I have to tear down this booth and the tilt a whirl. Shouldn't take me more than 45 minutes, especially since Felix lost that bet at the last stop and he has to help me break before he can do his own."

"When will he learn that there is no way he will ever be able to out scam you. That poor girl had no clue what happened. I think that is the first time she ever gave a twenty as change for a dollar. You may have been able to get a hundred out of her if you had kept going."

"Nah, the manager was getting suspicious. He was starting to make his way over. You know it is all about paying attention to what is going on around you. I would have lost if Felix had just realized that the idiot he tried it on was reading an accounting text book. Now go girl and get your game on. I want some Taco Bell on our way out of town and it is your turn to pay." He gave me a light shove. In years past I wouldn't of been ready and would have landed on my face. In fact I got so good at doing that I starting using it in my distraction. I might just have to do that some time tonight for old times' sake.

I strolled around the carnival for a few minutes before I found one of the guys I had originally pegged. He was simple in nature. He had been waving his $100 bill earlier when he bought some girl a caramel apple. I figured he probably had $50 to $60 left of it. He was going to be a simple bump and grab. When he had his wallet open earlier there wasn't anything of worth other than the money in it. Shoot the wallet itself was some knock off. That way I didn't feel guilty for taking some major important thing like insurance card or what not.

Waiting till he was distracted by the girl he was showing off to earlier, I turned my back to him and then stepped back into him. As we hit I reached down and removed his wallet from his back pants pocket. He was paying more attention to the pressure I made sure my elbow put in his back, that he didn't notice me slip his wallet from him. From his back pocket to inside the underside of my shirt I turned quickly to apologize for the bump and then bat my eyes at him and then get out of there before he is able to remember anything of importance of my appearance. Just what I need to get caught on our last night in town. I watch him as he thread his arm around the girl and then reach into his front pocket and grab out his keys. He was out of there. I could tell, they started towards the exit. He definitely was a good hit. He still had $75 in his wallet. I hit a few more up before the lights and music were cut letting the locos know it was time for them to head out.

I broke down my tent rather quickly. I didn't have much time if Jasper and I wanted to pull and after party scam. The carnival caravan pulls out at dawn. We were leaving Arizona and heading to the Pacific Northwest. We had some weekend carnival set up in Oregon this coming Thursday through Sunday and then a Fair that opened on Tuesday in some tiny county on the peninsula. Fairs usually last a full week and bring in the most money but we try to book every weekend that we can. Which meant that if we didn't get to the party before two neither of us would be sleeping tonight and then driving tomorrow. As fun as that is I don't want to do it on such a long drive.

As soon as I was done I headed over to the Basketball booth and it was already down and trailered. Which meant Jasper was running ahead of schedule. I soon found him and he was trailering the last of the tilt a whirl. Felix was going on and on about how Jasper should lend him a hand now on his chores since he helped him but that would negate the bet and I knew that Jasper was looking forward to some stress relief tonight. In the past, Jasper use to hide his sexcapades from me. But I think he realized that I wasn't bothered by them. He had every right to go out and find companionship.

It isn't the same for the guys as it is for the girls. They can sleep around if they want to. Girl though are no longer worth anything if they aren't virgins. In fact, girls have been known to be shunned and kicked out of the clan for giving it up. Renee was lucky. He dad was the patriarch of the clan and therefore when she got pregnant out of marriage they just simply took her out of the running. She has always told me that she loved my dad. He just didn't understand our ways.

It wasn't until recently that Renee was finally eligible to find a spouse. As long as her parents were alive she couldn't marry, she wasn't worth anything and while Renee wasn't traditional her parents, Nona and Gramps were. Since she wasn't worth anything they allowed her to stay and work for them. They were such a huge part of my growing up.

Two years ago they passed away. Gramps suffered a heart attack and Nona just couldn't go on without him. After they passed mom became available to whoever was willing to marry her and since she had no parents she was free. Phil snagged her up. Phil had already bought one wife. She died during child birth. We lost both her and the baby that night. Phil didn't want another young girl and since he feared losing another wife during child birth he opted for Renee so that it wasn't something he had to worry about. Renee was past the child bearing age.

"You ready to head out, peachy? Those chicks over by the fence are our invites tonight. The blond says that the party started about 2 hours ago so they should be close to ready."

"Let's go pull out is at 7 tomorrow and I want to get some sleep tonight. If we leave at 4 does that give you time enough or do you want me to find a ride home?" I hated to rush Jasper. He never really got a chance to just be a guy. He was always looking out for me.

"No four is great. I will have her tucked in by then and ready to bring you home." He threw his arm over me. We waved good bye to Felix and Demetry and then headed out. The easy girls had us follow them to some house that was out of the way. You could hear the music blaring as we pulled up. Several cars were parked out front, some even on the lawn. Jasper led me inside and he immediately headed over to the kitchen to get a drink. I knew that I would need to stay as sober as possible, yet look rather pissed, so that Jasper could get his game on.

Jasper returned short time later with two cups. He handed me one and I immediately saw that it was only half full. He finished his off and I slowly sipped mine. About 30 minutes into our night I started acting pissed and half out of it. Jasper let me pretend to sleep and then he made his move on the girl that had been hanging on him all night.

I heard Jasper ask her if they could go somewhere quieter. She of course played the chicks before dick card that girls often played just before they stabbed a chick in the back.

"I wouldn't want to do anything that would hurt your relationship. She seems like a nice gal." The blond bimbo said in a sultry voice. Yeah right, she was looking out for me.

Jasper played his part well, "She is out of it. She has never been able to hold her liquid. I would be surprised if she remembered her name in the morning. Plus you are by far prettier than her." I heard the girly giggle and then felt jasper get up to move into a private area.

As soon as they left I played the waking up girlfriend roll nicely. Most people by now were so far along they had no clue who was moving and who wasn't. I slowly made my way around and empty wallets of those that were totally out of it. I was also able to get a few packets of leaves and a couple of rocks. Jasper and I would smoke up the leaves but we would sell Felix and Demetry the rocks. We never hit the hard stuff. I have seen too many members lose everything over the rocks.

30 minutes later Jasper comes out zipping up his pants. He spots me across the room and quickly makes his way over.

"Did you have a good time?" It was his subtle way of asking if I had accomplished enough or if he needed to make a trip around the room.

"It was enjoyable enough." With my confirmation he threw his arm over my shoulder and we made our way out the door. It was just after 3:30 in the morning. We were ahead of schedule. I would definitely get some good sleep tonight. As soon as we pulled back up to the carnival area, Jasper trailered our vehicle and hocked it on the back or our RV. That would give us a few more minutes of sleep tomorrow morning.

I hated drive days. We always pulled out of town so early. But it did mean that we were on to a new adventure. Something told me this summer would be one to remember.

**A/N: What is your favorite carnival memory? I will share mine in the story if you share yours.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay here is Edward's POV. He is a little different. But this is how he wanted to be written. Usually, I try to outline my story but this one has been screaming at me and they won't let me plan it out. I hope it makes since.**

**I still own nothing of Twilight. I would really love the money Stephenie made though.**

EPOV

"Edward, it has been 32 days, 32 God damn days, since you have called me. I am tired of playing these games with you. I don't get why you always have to get so moody and take it out on me. Have you ever thought of taking a Midol or two? I know you are listening. It is 7:30 in the morning. At this time everyday you sit down for exactly 15 minutes to drink one cup of decaf coffee and read the newspaper. YOU CAN ANSWER THE PHONE! Fine be that way. Call me as soon as you decide that you are allowed to live a life." With that the answering machine hung up.

What a waste. I wasted so much time with that girl. Tanya and I met shortly after I started undergrad. The first year it was nothing but friendship, then slowly things progress to something more. The first two years together was nice. It was like she understood me. She got my reasoning for why things had to be the way they were. But then slowly she changed. She stopped trying to understand. She wanted me to be something different than what I was. It started small. First hints to go to this party or that. Then out right invites. She would interrupt my schedule and expect me to drop what I was doing right then and there. Then she would make plans with others during our scheduled time. It was like she didn't even want to be in this relationship.

The straw that broke the camels back so to say was when she tried to get me to sleep with her. We had talked about this. Sex was not something to take lightly. Only after marriage would I consider sleeping with her. For everything there is a time and place. It was the motto that I lived by. I had my life structured as to how much time spent doing what. For everything that I changed I looked at the cost of the sacrifice for the change. I had very clear priorities and never wavered from them. It was the way it was.

I can't remember when I became like this. In a way I was always like this. I thrived on the schedule. When I was younger I would attend school during the day and then came home and practiced my piano for exactly one hour and then I would help with dinner, eat, do homework, and then head to bed. 8 hours minimum a night in sleep, never less. Your body requires it. I know that will change as I start my residency and they own me and my time but I am sure with how efficient I have become in the rest of my life I will be able to get more sleep than the regular resident. It is all about structure and discipline. Both I knew and knew well.

I, however, had no idea what I was to do about Tanya. I thought not calling her back would give her a clue that we were done. I never really had to break up with someone in the past. It isn't like I have had a ton of girlfriends I have had a few, but most can't understand me and they walk long before this. The real disappointment in this was that based on my cost analysis 6 months time would have been the best opportune time to propose to Tanya. It would allow for a long enough engagement for her to plan a wedding and yet us to have time to figure out the future plans. You know when to have kids and how many, where to live and all that jazz. I would be finished with school by time the wedding occurred and then we could settle into the family life. Yet, that analysis was thrown out the window when Tanya gave me that ultimatum.

I think that is what is confusing me the most. She was the one that set a deadline on our sex life. To tell me that she would either be sucking my dick or I would be buried into her by Friday or she was gone seemed rather clear to me. I picked to be gone but yet she is still calling me. I was already off my schedule today so I figured it would be a tank day. I allowed myself one of these a month and it looked like today was it. Tank days were for those days when the schedule just won't work and Tanya's phone call and my time spent contemplating it has forced me into a tank day. I guess I better get this figured out so she doesn't force me into another tank day this month.

It looks like I was going to need help with this one and the only person I could think to call was Alice. She would be able to tell me how to get rid of Tanya.

"Edward, tank day I take it? What brought it on this time? I thought everything was in total order for your life. Something has to of happened for you to be calling me outside of our scheduled weekly chat." Alice chipper voice came over the phone. It really did amaze me how we could be so different yet come from the same mother and father. I guess if you really wanted to consider it you would have to look at our older sibling Emmett. He was more like Alice than like me. So maybe I was switched at birth or something. I was just so much more disciplined than my siblings. They were so much more about living their lives. The nice thing is that they never once made me feel like how I lived was wrong. They just accepted me for who I am.

"One word, Alice, Tanya."

"Did that bitch call again. What is this like 10 times this month?" Alice never really did like Tanya. She accepted her because she was the first girl that I dated that actually gave me a chance. Usually women wouldn't tolerate a scheduled time to talk and date and what not. Women liked things spontaneous. I learned that early on. I would try to do that. But for me it was just easier not to.

"She is up to once a day, now. You should hear the message she just left. It was worse than some island stranded sailor. Something about me being moody and needing Midol." I huffed out. But instead of the sympathy I thought I would get from my sister I got laughter. "Really, Alice, laughter at my pain."

"Oh come on Edward, even you have to admit that you can be moody when things don't go as planned. As rigid as you are you are also very realistic about yourself. You know how you are and you recognize that you aren't like most people so don't' go getting all huffy about someone pointing it out now."

Alice had a point, it never really bothered me in the past when someone would call me a freak or something because I was the way I was. Why now? Why this girl? Maybe Tanya was more to me than I realized. Great now I am starting to question my question.

With a loud sigh, I asked the one question that I needed an answer to now, "What now?"

"Seriously Edward, I am sure you have already made the pros and con lists. You've analyzed this shit to pieces. What are you really asking of me? I can give you my two cents, but you really already know it. What is it you want?" That was the million dollar question wasn't it. What is it that I want? I have never lead with my heart. I always lead with my head. It got me far. Maybe that is why Tanya was so adamant that I was playing games with her. Everything was always about my head and I never wanted to allow my heart control. My heart just didn't know what was best.

"Fine what do I do? I can't just say the hell with who I am. I am not what Tanya wants yet, for some reason she won't walk away?"

"Edward, I didn't ask what Tanya wanted. I asked what you wanted. You have to decided what is best for you and what you want from life. Then you have to live it. Not plan it and stay to the plan. Life is not about clocks and calendars. Again, what is it that you want?" Alice really was persistent.

"I want what mom and dad have and what Em and Rosalie have." Rosalie was Emmett's wife. They married young. Like right out of high school young. But they made it work.

"Okay, now you are starting to be honest let's see how to get there. Is Tanya perfect for you? Is she going to be that one you can't live without?" I was starting to really appreciate that I called Alice. She always did know how to put things into perspective for me. She knew how to make it about my head and not my heart. Esme, my mom, would just tell me that to get things like love I had to let my heart lead. Alice knew how to make my head tell my heart what to do.

"I need someone that believes in me like I believe in me. They have to understand that I am the way I am and love me for it. I think Tanya has always thought that she could change me. Make me who she thought I should be. So to answer your question, no she is not perfect for me. I don't like who she is now. She has changed, and you know how I feel about change." I answered Alice knowing I was not going to like the answer that she was about to give me. It was like she had lead me down the path to where I needed to go and I could see the pond, now it was time for me to drink.

"I can tell you know what I am going to say. If she isn't the one then for both of your sakes you have to let her go. She may not see it that way right now but some day she will." I was still confused, she made her choice but by the sounds of it Alice was telling me that I had to let her go.

"But she is the one that made that choice. Why do I have to do anything?'

Alice giggled in my ear and then said, "Silly boy, girls don't' make ultimatums to live by then. We make them to get what we want. Tanya just made the mistake of thinking that you wouldn't be willing to give her up. That is the first rule in making an ultimatum. Make sure that what you want is better than what you don't want. She is now thinking that you just don't have the courage to call her. That is why you have to call and break up with her. You can do it. I am sure you have the list somewhere as to all the reasons you aren't meant to be together. Just read that to her." If I didn't know better you would think that Alice was trying to get me to tell Tanya off in a horribly embarrassing way. I am thinking that maybe a just it's over would suffice.

"Fine Alice, I will call her after we hang up. So now that we solved that problem…" Alice cut me off.

"Oh no you don't, we will talk about you getting back on the horse. No change the subject on me you crazy. So what is your plan? How do you plan to find Mrs. Right?"

"I am thinking now is not the time. I have 18 months left in residency and then I can start working. Maybe once school is done then I can dedicate the time I spend studying into a relationship. I did learn something from all this with Tanya. I can't be so scheduled with women, or at least I can't appear to be so scheduled."

"AMEN brother! So maybe some good did come from three years of following around Tanya. I don't think you should wait though. When does summer break start for you?"

"Next weekend, why?"

"Come home for a few weeks. Spend some time with mom and dad. Talk medicine with dad at night and then hang with me and Emmett and Rosalie. Let us set you up on some dates. You know just friendly get togethers. We can work together to break you from your bad dating habits. Then when you head back to school you can practice what we teach you. What do you say? Plus fair starts here next week. You always did like fair."

"Alice, I hated fair it was you that always loved it. There is nothing there for me. I don't like the animals, the carnival rides are nothing but a bunch of rip off scams, and the food is the worst thing you could ever put in your stomach."

"See I knew you would come, fair sealed the deal. I will let mom know to get your room ready. He will be so excited. I am not sure what will make her happier, you coming home or that fact that Tanya won't be coming with you. Love you brother of mine, but I have to let you go, I have a ton of things to do before you get here." She let out a loud smack and then hung up.

As annoyed as I was about the whole fair thing, I was glad I called her. I knew what I needed to do and I had a plan in place. Always be prepared. Not that I was ever a boy scout, but some things they teach are important.

First, I was going to call Tanya and let her know that I was done. This wasn't a game or a mood disorder. She didn't love me for me and that was important to me. Second, I was going to finish my classes and then third climb on a plane and travel home to my parent's house because apparently at the age of 23, I didn't know how to date.

Two weeks at home at the beginning of summer break. Something told me this summer was going to be one I wouldn't forget.

**A/N: What is your favorite Carnival ride? Have you ever thrown up from one? Review and let me know your reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I really had given up on this story, Bella quit talking to me and was refusing to play. Edward didn't want to be a part; it just didn't fit in his daily routine. Then something happened and Bella started talking again. She talked herself into two full chapters. So I am giving this another go. The chapters will be shorter chapters and I will be writing what they tell me to write. I do not have a beta or a pre reader. I am always open if someone would like to explore that with me.**

BPOV

When my alarm sounded at 7 AM I slid out of the bed carefully, I didn't want to wake Jasper up if at all possible. We had gone to sharing the large bed in the back of the trailer. Nothing ever happened, Jasper and I both knew what would happen if it did. While Jasper took his fair share of girls he would never put me in a spot that made me become an outcast for not follow the traditions. I knew the rest of the crew would be heading out around this time. We try to travel in a large group that way if anyone has problems someone is there to help them. I had let Felix know yesterday that we would be taking a side trip. We will still get to Oregon in time but we wanted to spend some time in Reno earning some money. Drunken gamblers were an even easier target than careless teenagers at the carnival. Most didn't know how much they had because of so many wins and lost occurring in a quick order. Plus they always chalked up the unexpected loss of money to a poor gambling move. We would have to be very careful though because the casinos didn't like our competitions for their money. The Casinos much preferred the customer to empty their pockets to them rather than me emptying them to me.

I make a quick stop at the closest Starbucks. After ordering both Jasper and I our morning juice I quickly confused the cashier into giving me a $20. Really has no one taught these kids how to handle a till? You never put the money in the draw until the change is made. Also always count it back. When I give you a five you can guarantee if you don't follow those two simple rules I will walk out with at least a $20 bill. With the way today was going we would make it into Reno close to 10 at night. That would give us a good 24 hours to hustle before we needed to be back on the road to make it in time for the fair in Oregon. Just as I was pulling out on hwy 95 that would take me past Vegas and into Reno my phone rang.

"Hey, mom. How's work?" Pride in a job is what is most important. I only hope mom is getting what she needs this summer. Phil is manager but it takes a lot of jobs to feed the crew that work them.

"Work is going well, Phil has a few jobs that need new roofs and a few new driveways. We had to move to Georgia to get some new life. We figure we could do a southern run with an east coast trip. Maybe finish up around Chicago, about the time that you would be traveling through. You know how much you love the parties that happen in southern Chicago. I could call Eleza and see what they have coming up. I am sure someone is marrying, turning of age, of looking for a bride." Chicago gypsies know how to party. I have been to a few in my days of traveling with mom. I am not sure I would be able to get into one without mom, so it would be good to have her pull some strings. Plus it would be perfect for Jasper. Maybe by then I can have him convinced to let me go and to find him a wife to take care of him. Give him a few little Jaspers to pass his knowledge onto. To live the dream, like all of us wanted. He wasn't a non-traditionalist like mom and me. He was ready to marry someone, he just needed to figure out it wasn't me and that there were many gypsies out there that could do exactly what he needed.

"That sounds great mom. Let me know what you come up with."

"So where you off to now?" Mom never paid attention to the itinerary when we traveled. She just followed the group.

"We are headed to a small town in Oregon, supposedly right outside of Portland. We plan to stop in Reno to get some jobs and then to head on up. After that we are headed to some small town in Washington. I overheard Felix say that he is glad to see this stop back on the stops. He said it used to be a regular but Gramps put a stop to it. Felix swears it was a money pot but Gramps argued it wasn't. I really don't care as long as the money comes in."

I waited for a reply for a long time. I could tell mom was still on the phone but she wasn't saying anything, which wasn't like my mom.

"Hey, you okay.."

"Fine, fine… you have fun.." Then she hung up. Mom never hung up without telling me good bye or that she loved me. She must have been distracted by something. I will have to call her out on it later.

Jasper came stumbling out of the back of the trailer shortly after we passed Vegas. He was not a morning person and it would take him some time before he was ready to converse with me. I watched him in the rearview mirror as he scratches himself and then turned into the small closet bathroom. By time he exited there he was looking a little more awake, but I knew better than to talk until he at least had a drink of his coffee.

Jasper sat in the seat next to me and reached over to grab the coffee I had bought him two hours ago. I am sure by now it is cold and gross yet he drinks it down like it is the last drink he will ever be able to have and I was threatening to take it from him.

"You know, you could have heated that up in the microwave before drinking it."

"Oh I know and someday I will have a wife to do that for me and then I won't be drinking cold coffee. Until that happens then I guess it is cold coffee for me." Little did Jasper know that it was when he said things like this I felt a stab in my heart. I know it is my fault he isn't married yet. I know what I may have cost him by not agreeing with the offer. Yet, here he sits acting like it is no big deal that he doesn't have someone to take care of him like he deserves. I hate that he pays for my sins.

"Yea, well we could work on that. Mom called this morning and said that they could probably meet up with us when we hit the Chicago area and get us in the parties. I bet you could find a good little one to take care of you. Someone that know just how you like things and wants to do that for you." I gave him the look that said; please don't say no this time. He will often go to the parties but he never looks. I wonder how long I can live with this guilt until I decide to give in and just let him pay mom. It isn't like there is someone better out there. At least not that I have seen. Most Gypsy men want someone that loves to cook and clean, doesn't argue with them and gives everything to their man. Now while I love to cook and I don't shy away from cleaning, I am looking for love. That thing that tells you no one will ever be better than this person. It happened for my mom, it has to happen for me.

Mom met my dad while she was traveling. She was out with Gramps and Nona one summer when she was 17. While Gramps was traditional and he was accepting offers for mom, he waited till she was older. He always said it was because he didn't want to be a grandfather in his 30s. So he waited to release mom to the group to wed till she was much older than the traditional 14-15 year. Mom was working the fortune telling tent as usual. Gramps and Nona pretty much ran the show at this point. They figured it was good for mom to learn the trade since it was most likely what her man would do and this would give her a head start, especially since she was so much older.

Mom said it was love at first sight. My dad, it is all I can call him, since mom refuses to tell me his name, came into the tent with his buddies. Dad's buddy wanted to know if he should ask his high school sweetheart to marry him. Mom took one look at his friend and told him, no that if he did that he would go bald and hate his small town life within 10 years of marrying her. She then looked at my dad and told him that he would suffer a horrible fate if he didn't act on what was on his mind at that exact moment. Little did she know, or maybe she did, he was thinking of asking her out. He asked her how soon she could get off. She closed the tent and they left.

Dad wooed her right, at least that is what mom says. Most boys, and I know this from experience, will just walk you over to the corn dog trailer and order. My dad didn't. He took her to some all-night diner in their small little town and they talked all night. They talked about mom and her travels. Our culture and how it works. They talked about how he had just graduated and that he was going into law enforcement. I can just see how that part of the conversation went. It isn't like we are law breakers, we just don't necessarily follow the letter of the law, and we mostly follow the spirit of the law. If it doesn't feel right then the law must not really mean exactly what it says.

Mom said that my dad tried to do everything right. He even offered Gramps some money to marry my mom. Gramps laughed at him. He told him that no way would my mom want to stay in a small town and be the wife of a police man. She had gypsy blood in her and he had honorable law abiding blood in him. They were crossed lovers that fate was playing with. Gramps denied him, sent him on his way. Mom said my dad came around every day that week and begged her to stay with him. He even offered to leave with her. To give up everything he had or ever wanted just for her. In the end, mom rebelled against Gramps, had one very magical night with my dad, but when it came time to pull up tent and move on, neither my mom nor my dad could fight their blood inside them and set it aside for the other. Mom left with Gramps and Nona and my dad stayed in his town.

I don't think my mom ever told my dad about me. She didn't want to make him chose her because of me. She said they made their choice and that was what it was. She knew that one night cost her so much but in the end she gained me. She said that if he had come after her she would have allowed him to be a part of our family but he never did and therefore it wasn't up to her. That fate really had just played its part and I was what fate wanted her to have. I truly think mom left a part of her heart with my dad. I think that is why she never fought getting married the whole time Gramps was alive. Now I think she is lonely and Phil is just a way to not be lonely. But it works for them.

"Peach, are you going to drive or dream over there?" Jasper pulled me from my thoughts.

"I'm just waiting till we get closer to the north. I am sure you don't want to drive over all those mountain passes. You know that men are way better at controlling their vehicle around the curves than women are. It isn't like driving on this flat land we have out here and back home." Jasper jokes. He knows I would much rather not drive at all.

It was hitting late afternoon at this point and I wasn't sure what we still had in the fridge in the trailer. Eating on the road can be just as adventurist as the road itself. I try to keep our fridge fairly well stock so we can have some good healthy food to eat. Sometime, all we have is gas station food, sometimes it is fast food, and sometimes when money is low it is the carnival food. While everyone loves the corn dogs and funnel cakes, they really are a treat that should be enjoyed once a year. When you have to eat them on a regular basis, it can really take a toll on your body.

"So what were you thinking about for lunch? Do you want to just eat out what we have here and then eat somewhere when we land in Reno? Or do you want to stop here?" I asked Jasper. He needs to have food in him fairly regularly or he can get cranky.

"What we got?"

"I don't know take the wheel I will go check." I start to stand and that really freaks Jasper out.

"WAIT girl what are you thinking. Sit your ass down. I get it you are busy if I want to know I need to go look for myself. You know its things like this that keeps all the good gypsies away." He says over his shoulder as he stares into our fairly empty fridge. I hadn't made a Wal-Mart run in a while. We will most likely park at a Wal-Mart tonight so I should be able to fill it up before we hit the road again.

"Who said a gypsy is what I was waiting for. Maybe I was waiting for a someone with roots, someone that will allow me to settle in one place and have the whole white picket fence."

"Please girl, you need to learn to honor the man, any good honorable gypsy man wouldn't let their women stand out. You are there to help them. Let them provide, be the man. I just don't get you sometimes." Jasper came back to sit down. He had a bag of chips in his hand. Looks like it is a lunch made of snack foods.

I reach over to take a chip and Jasper swats at my hand telling me they aren't for me. He slowly reaches into the bag and pulls out carrots for me. He knows how much I love to munch on vegetables when it is a snack lunch. It keeps me from feeling like crap when we travel so much and can't watch what we are eating closely.

"AWE Jasper, you do love me." I said in a southern belle drawl. Jasper just shook his head and continued to eat his chips.

We pulled into Reno shortly after 10. I had to stop and actually get out and walk around. Jasper went and crashed again in the bunk. I tried to find a Wal-Mart to park at but was having a tough time finding one. I am guessing we are too close to downtown. Hopefully before we pull out tomorrow we will run across one.


End file.
